Other incumbents win primary with ease.

With only an 11-vote margin, Dawson County treasurer Sharon Wood narrowly edged out challenger Allison Luther in the May 11 primary.

Wood had 1,518 votes to Luther’s 1,504.

Two incumbents—county sheriff Gary Reiber and county clerk Karla Zlatkovsky—won their races handily in a primary that had higher voter participation than the state.

County election coordinator Sheri Bellamy said 28% of the county’s 13,680 registered voters took time to vote.

But that was better than the 23% who voted statewide which is also the percentage of voters who cast ballots during the 2008 primary in Dawson County.

Canvassing board members certified county election results Thursday for all the county races in which the candidates were Republican.

All winners of the Republican nomination advance to the general election on Nov. 2.

DAWSON COUNTY

In a three-way race for sheriff, Reiber received nearly double the votes than his closet challenger Paul Schwarz.

Reiber had 1,882 ballots to 900 for Schwarz. Rick Hite received 230.

Another contested race that pitted incumbent county clerk Karla Zlatkovsky against Delpha Albus put Zlatkovsky on top with 1,931 votes to 983 for Albus.

Dennis Rickertsen of Lexington garnered the most votes of the three contenders for county commissioner representing District 3.

Bill Brecks of Overton was the next top vote getter with 172 followed by Charles Stryker of Eddyville with 103.

District 3 commissioner Roger Bauer of Overton chose not to run again.

All candidates for the contested seats are Republicans.

LOCAL

Gothenburg Memorial Hospital board incumbents Larry Gill and Brent Block will keep their seats as will Gothenburg Airport Authority board member Craig Bartruff.

For three seats open on the District 20 school board, the names of four candidates will appear on the general election ballot Nov. 2.

Incumbents Nate Wyatt and Scott France are running for re-election while Jon Hudson and Shawn Boyd are also on the ballot.

The names of Gothenburg west ward councilman Jeff Whiting and Tim Strauser, who represents east ward, and Mayor Joyce Hudson will also appear on the November ballot even though they have no challengers.

STATE RACES

In a hotly contested contest for state treasurer, name recognition helped Lincoln attorney Don Stenberg lead a field of three other Republicans by a wide margin.

Stenberg gathered 82,852 votes compared to 44,404 for state senator Tony Fulton and 32,643 for retired state patrol colonel Tom Nesbitt.

The former state attorney general will face Omaha businessman and Democrat Mark Stoj in November.

Incumbent state Sen. Mark Christensen easily held off a challenge by Thomas Baker.

Christensen won the primary with 4,602 votes to 2,810 for Baker.

Third District congressman Adrian Smith handily defeated challenger Dennis Parker, 65,249 to 8,907.

Smith will run against Rebekah Davis in November.

Gov. Dave Heineman beat two contenders. With 151,641 votes, he easily advances to the November election where he’ll face Democrat Mark Lakers.

Dawson County residents voted with the state majority in approving a constitutional amendment that allows the use of revenue bonds to develop and lease property for use by nonprofit enterprises as determined by law.

A list of primary results follows.

Dawson Co. Ballots Counted

Total 3,859

Republican 3,054

Democrat 667

Non-partisan 138

Republican Ticket

Third Congressional District

Adrian Smith 2,709

Dennis L. Parker 251

Write-in 4

Governor

Dave Heineman 2,770

Paul Anderson 137

Christopher N. Geary 83

Write-in 3

Secretary of State

John A. Gale 2,531

Write-in 11

State Treasurer

Don Stenberg 1,745

Tom Nesbitt 628

Tony Fulton 475

Write-in 4

Attorney General

Jon Bruning 2,655

Write-in 15

Auditor of Public Accounts

Mike Foley 2,368

Write-in 6

Public Service Commission Dist. 5

Jerry Vap 590

Kelly Renee Rosberg 518

Mike Delka 299

Justin Jensen 284

Christopher VanWinkle 185

Duane Dufek 93

Write-in 2

Dawson County Assessor

John Phillip Moore 2,489

Write-in 18

Dawson County Attorney

Elizabeth F. Waterman 2,358

Write-in 54

Dawson County Clerk

Karla Zlatkovsky 1,931

Delpha Albus 983

Write-in 1

Dawson Co. Clerk of District Court

Sherry Warner 2,479

Dawson County Treasurer

Sharon A. Wood 1,518

Allison Luther 1,504

Write-in 1

Dawson County Register of Deeds

Ruth A. Meyer 2,507

Write-in 5

Dawson County Sheriff

Gary Reiber 1,882

Paul M. Schwarz 900

Rick Hite 230

Write-in 5

Dawson Co. Commissioner Dist. 2

Bill Stewart 667

Write-in 11

Dawson Co. Commissioner Dist. 3

Dennis Rickertsen 333

Bill Brecks 172

Charles Stryker 103

Write-in 1

Dawson County Surveyor

Jacob H. Ripp 2,319

Write-in 10

Dawson County Public Defender

Derek L. Mitchell 2,389

Write-in 16

Democratic Ticket

Third Congressional District

Rebekah Davis 488

Write-in 8

Governor

Mark Lakers 441

Write-in 24

Secretary of State

Janet Steward 453

Write-in 7

State Treasurer

Mark Stoj 424

Write-in 15

Attorney General

Write-in 52

Auditor of Public Accounts

Write-in 29

Public Service Commission Dist. 5

Write-in 32

Dawson County Assessor

Write-in 38

Dawson County Attorney

Write-in 41

Dawson County Clerk

Write-in 67

Dawson Co. Clerk of District Court

Write-in 40

Dawson County Treasurer

Write-in 98

Dawson County Register of Deeds

Write-in 31

Dawson County Sheriff

Write-in 182

Dawson Co. Commissioner Dist. 2

Write-in 13

Dawson Co. Commissioner Dist. 3

Write-in 19

Dawson County Surveyor

Write-in 35

Dawson County Public Defender

Write-in 36

Non-Political

Nebraska Legislative Dist. 36

John M. Wightman 2,775

Write-in 50

Nebraska Legislative Dist. 44

Mark R. Christensen 235

Thomas C. Baker 55

State Board of Education Dist. 7

Cindi Allen 1,380

Molly O’Holleran 1,201

Write-in 10

Univesity of Nebraska Regents Dist. 7

Frank B. Svoboda 1,618

Bob Phares 1,196

Write-in 5

Gothenburg Memorial Hospital Dist. 3

Brent B. Block 520

Larry C. Gill 478

Write-in 5

Constitutional Amendment 1

For 1,759

Against 1,467

Contested Statewide Races

(Unofficial results)

Third Congressional District

Adrian Smith 65,249

Dennis L. Parker 8,907

Governor

Dave Heineman 151,641

Paul Anderson 8,905

Christopher N. Geary 8,115

State Treasurer

Don Stenberg 82,852

Tony Fulton 44,404

Tom Nesbitt 32,643

Public Service Commission Dist. 5

Jerry Vap 13,875

Kelly Renee Rosberg 6,877

Justin Jensen 4,544

Christopher VanWinkle 4,176

Mike Delka 3,308

Duane Dufek 2,177

Nebraska Legislative Dist. 44

Mark R. Christensen 4,602

Thomas C. Baker 2,810

State Board of Education Dist. 7

Cindi Allen 16,038

Molly O’Holleran 14,484

Univesity of Nebraska Regents Dist. 7

Frank B. Svoboda 18,675

Bob Phares 13,091

Constitutional Amendment 1

For 127,679

Against 115,723